We've only seen the outside yet, haven't had a chance to tackle it. There is corrugated iron on top so bees coming out everywhere. Not sure if the iron was placed on before or after the fellow disturbed them. I'd love some advice, if anyone has retrieved a hive from a 44 gall drum before.

Thanks for the replies; hope we get time and some clear weather before Christmas.

Mick, if you come down this way I'll hold your legs so you can inspect the bottom of the drum :) Yes, plenty of honey here. Town has been slightly better than home but it's still dribbling in here with gum trees out. Might be a while before the next extraction though.

Ozebee, I got a swarm call a couple of weeks ago. The lady wanted to keep the bees in a new plastic hive. It turned out to be an external hive that had been there for weeks, and by the time I was called, had about 100 bees on a 6 inch piece of comb. I told her to let nature take its course and look for a swarm elsewhere. But I was thinking - had it been a viable cutout, what can you do with complete plastic frames? You can't remove foundation and secure the brood comb. Anyhow, regarding your swarm patrol, I'm on a local bee club list just until other beekeepers get back from holidays, then I'm happy to just have friends call if they find a swarm. I don't have a mobile phone that works here for a start. I probably need one more hive to replace my laying worker hive then that's the limit reached again..! (Till I assemble the boxes on the verandah..)

Ben, thanks. Do you have photos yourself of the barrel? I am curious as to how the comb will be sitting in the drum. If it's attached to the iron it sounds like an easy task, but I'm guessing that might not be the case. It must be like an oven inside.

miss lone if it is as hot as you say. all yo comb is laying on the bottom, just open and give them a puff and get the suckers out. and yess I have, one stuck on bottom going up and the other on top whch was the easy one

Lone, More info required. Is it an open drum with iron placed on top? if so lift the iron and place it on some stools and go from there.If the drum is complete and they are using the filler hole as an entrance the top will have to be cut off the drum, will be interesting. the only other method I can suggest is a trapout, let us know how you go.Nico

I removed some bees from an old Truck air compressor tank this past summer.I used the trap-out method and it worked.It took right at 4 weeks to get the bees out.When I cut the compressor tank open with a saw all it was infested with Small Hive Beetles.The bees are now in a 6 frame Nuc with a Super and are doing great.I've got a candy board on them trying to get them thru the winter.